Holy Fatima, the Ideal Lady of Islam

[با خدا]

Fatima

was horn in the fifth year of Muhammad's
Prophethood (S.A.). Her father was the Holy Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.) and her mother was Khadija. (Khadija
was the first woman to become Muslim, and she truly
believed in God and His Prophet. She was loyal and rich, and
spent all her wealth for the progress of Islam.)
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.) loved his
daughter, Fatima, very much and used to say about her,
"Fatima is part of my body. Whoever troubles her troubles
me, and whoever makes her happy makes me happy."
At the beginning of her youth, Fatima married `Ali.
She was the ideal lady of Islam and excelled all ladies in
worship, manners and morals. For her husband, she was the
best wife and for her children, she was the best mother. She
did the housework and took great pains and troubles upon
herself to maintain and prepare the necessities of life. She
never made undeserving demands on her husband, `Ali, nor
caused him any hardship.
`Ali used to say, "By God, I never did anything in all my
life which made Fatima unhappy or angry, and Fatima,
too, never did anything which made me unhappy or angry."
Fatima had two sons, Hasan and Husayn, and two
daughters, Zaynab and Umme Kulthum.
The descendants of the Prophet are from the children of
Holy Fatima. Our eleven Holy Imams are descendants of
the lady Fatima (S.A.).
Fatima loved her children very much. She cultured
them with Islamic morals, manners and etiquette and
brought up her children to be the best.
Fatima-peace be upon her soul-passed away on the
3rd of the month of Jamadi al-Thani, at the age of 18. Her
body was entrusted to the earth in Medina, but the
whereabouts of her grave are not known.
The Blessed Necklace

A pale and dusty old man came into the mosque. He was
clad in rags. He went to the Prophet and in three short
sentences explained his circumstances:
"Oh Prophet of God, I am hungry, give me food.
"I am clothless, give me clothes.
"I am without means, help me!"
The Prophet (S.A.) told him, "I have nothing in hand.
Go to my daughter's house. She will help you.
The house of Fatima was near and one of the Prophet's
companions led the old man to it. The old man knocked at the
door.
`Who is it?"
"I'm a hungry person, I'm clothless, I'm without means,
be kind and generous to me, God will be kind and generous to
you.
Fatima took from her neck the necklace given to her by
her cousin and gave it to the old man saying. "Sell this
necklace and spend the money. I hope that in the future you
will be free of need."
The poor man returned happily. The Prophet was still in
the mosque. The old man showed the necklace and said, "Oh
Prophet, your daughter, Fatima, gave me her necklace to
sell."
One of the Prophet's friends, Ammar ibn Yasir, heard
what the old man said and asked him what price he wanted.
The old man said that he would sell it for enough food to
satisfy his hunger, enough cloth to clothe his body, and
enough money to get home.
Ammar said, "I buy this necklace from you,
"for a meal of bread and meat,
"clothes of Yemenite cloth,
"a four-footer' to take you home,
"and, in addition, eight dinars of gold and 200 dirhams
of silver."
Ammar then took the old man home and paid him the
price of the necklace.
The old man ate the food, put on the clothes and went on
his way satisfied and happy.
Then Ammar put perfume on the necklace, wrapped it
up in a piece of cloth and ordered his slave, "Go to the
Prophet of God. I have given you and this necklace to him."
The slave went to the Prophet and delivered Ammar's
message.
The Holy Prophet looked at the necklace and said, "And
I have given you and the necklace to my daughter."
The slave went to Holy Fatima and told her what the
Prophet had said and presented the necklace. Fatima
thanked him and said, "And in the path of God, I have freed
you. You are not a slave anymore!"
That man, the slave, became very happy and with joy
and surprise said, "What a blessed necklace!
"It satisfied hunger,
"clothed the body.
"bestowed means in place of helplessness,
"mounted the walker,
"freed the slave,
"and finally returned to its owner!"
The Holy Prophet of Islam and his followers strove hard
to combat slavery and were continually freeing slaves,
whatever the price. Thus, in Islam, the freeing of slaves is
counted amongst the highest acts of worship, and, in some
circumstances, is even considered obligatory.